FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Q: Why should I sign-up my teen to the Game Changers Summer Camp?

A: In the camp, we excite, engage, and inspire teens to make this a better world through a socially-interactive, fun, and inventive process. The activities are designed to teach design entrepreneurship but more importantly, to empower teens and provide them with skills and mindsets aligned with game changers! The campers work collaboratively most of the time and as such, meet and make new friends!

Q: My teen is unsure of what she or he wants to do this summer. How can I convince him/her that the camp will be an amazing experience?

A: The camp is highly socially-interactive, encouraging campers to make and keep friends. The activities are active; campers are constantly in the move engaged in tasks that are fun, inventive, and collaborative. The opportunity to develop and present a pitch deck to investors and entrepreneurs is quite enthralling for teens ages 13-16.

Q: This looks like a camp with high expectations? My teen is stressed out from school. How stressful is this camp?

A: Teens that join our camps are blissfully engaged in the activities. Most teens come into our camps totally attuned to the culture of traditional schools. School is equated with lectures, worksheets, long homework, and tests-- and having ONE CORRECT ANSWER to questions. For many, school is very stressful and frustrating. So on days 1-3, we have had campers who were afraid of making mistakes and feared taking risks in sharing their ideas or even just could not believe they could come up with any idea. One of the key goals of the camp is to "transform" the teen mindsets to believe and use their strengths to address the gaps of their everyday lives. The pedagogy makes these "gaps" visible and guides teens to "transform gaps into opportunities."

Q: My daughter is very creative and interested more in art and media design more than technology or entrepreneurship. Is she suitable for such start-up and business's oriented program?

A: Multiple interests and abilities are important to take into accoun in the formulation of business ideas. he background and culture of the learner throughout the learning process, helps to shape the knowledge and truth that the learne collectivel create, discover and attain in the learning process.

Q: How could we prepare my child for the camp? My child has no prior business knowledge and very little computer programming training, will that be a problem?

A: The Game Changers learning design acknowledges the uniqueness and complexity of the learn an actually encourages, utilizes and rewards it as an integral part of the learning process. In our previous summer camps, some teens came in with a business idea. Other teens were signed up into the camp by their parents and were not at all interested in joining the camp.

Some students knew their passions and some didn't have clue. Some are introverts and others are extroverts and some in-between. Some are techno-savvy and others are techno-phobic. Some are creative and others are analytical. Some are simply passive when they join the camp. The camp experience engage teen in active an collective peer earning experience from concept to business pitch. The educational methodology we use is anchored to multiple level and interest of each of the campers. These multiple backgrounds and abilities become the wellsprings of ideas and team work. Our camp excite campers about using their passions and strengths to make this a better world.

Q: Is lunch included? Is there any early drop off or late pick up option before 9am and after 5pm?

A: Lunch and 2 snacks will be provided. Student may arrive as early as 8:45am, and be picked up as late as 6:30pm.

Q: Do we need to bring own computer or laptop to the camp? Will there be homework after each day and over the weekend?

A: Yes, each camper is encouraged to bring their own laptop or iPad to the camp. Part of the process of shaping the business model is online research. They will also be designing mobile apps and web sites. Homework is a matter of internal motivation. Our job is to excite and inspire and the goal is to motivate each camper to pursue the highest standards based on their unique abilities and visions.

Q: We are from out of state. do you have any overnight lodging accommodation during the two weeks?

A: We do have a handful of student travelling out of state to join us every year. This is handled by our partner company which specialized in international students’ summer camp organization and planning. Please contact info@youngoutliers.com or more details and arrangement.

Q: What's the teacher to students ratio? What's the qualification of the instructor?

A: The teacher-student ratio is 1-7. For each class we have a head teacher, an assistant teacher, and guest speakers and design entrepreneur mentors, which include Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors. We also have start-up teachers. These are successful entrepreneurs who have taken businesses from ground-up to selling companies.

Our Lead Teachers have integrated background and professional expertise in constructive education, design, and entrepreneurship.

The educators have prior experiences and training in teaching teens ages 13-16 and align with our philosophy, i.e., active, interactive, and inventive teaching as a way to change the world.

Teachers at our summer studios connect with campers’ hearts and minds. They facilitate lessons and interactions to empower and liberate teens through engagement, creativity, teamwork, leadership, and empathy.

Q: Will my child get chance to further realize and execute his business plan/idea after the camp?

A: The student will get to present his/her business pitch twice in the camp. The final presentation will be at the Dolphin Tank even at the end of the Camp, of which families and friends are invited to watch. In the Dolphin Tank, investors will be asking questions and giving feedback to the participants' pitches. The Game Changers Camp is about finding and exploring one's passions, designing solutions, learning to use Design Thinking and Lean Start Up strategies to formulate compelling business models, and learning to communicate with confidence using entrepreneurial lingo. Through the entire process, participants engage with peers and seasoned Silicon Valley Game Game Changers.